Paris Peace Conf. 763.72114/20
The Minister in Switzerland (Stovall) to the Commission to Negotiate
Peace
No. 69
Berne
, January
5, 1919.
Sirs: I have the honor to transmit herewith
for such action as you may consider advisable a copy and translation of
a note from the
[Page 55]
German Legation
transmitted to this Legation through the Swiss Political Department,
regarding the transport of German soldiers and civilians captured in
Palestine and Mesopotamia.
I beg to add that copies of the enclosed note are being forwarded to the
Department of State.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Swiss Political
Department to the American Legation
in Switzerland
Allg. 540/I
At the request of the German Legation, the Swiss Political Department
has the honor to transmit to the Legation of the United States of
America, to be communicated to its Government, copy of a note in
regard to the transport of the German soldiers and civilians who
were made prisoners in Palestine and Mesopotamia.
The Political Department takes this occasion to reiterate the
assurances of its high consideration to the Legation of the United
States of America.
[Subenclosure—Translation]27
The German Legation in
Switzerland to the Swiss Political
Department
In Haidar Pasha at Constantinople, there are about 10,000 men, German
troops who have been brought together from Palestine and the
Mesopotamian Front in order to be transported in accordance with the
conditions of the armistice. As it is understood, the Allied Powers
have just recently sent part of these troops by way of the Black Sea
and the Ukraine and plan further transport via this route. For
German troops who are no longer used to the northern climate and
whose clothing is planned for a warm climate, this transport through
wintry Russia would be accompanied by the greatest suffering and
dangers. The length of the journey could not be determined, and the
provisioning would be exceedingly difficult. The heating of freight
cars necessary for transportation is not possible. To this must be
added the threatening danger of bandits. If this is true with regard
to military transport, then the traveling of civilians in this
manner is absolutely impossible. Women, children, weak persons or
old men would not survive this trip. The Swiss Political Department
will place the German Legation under great obligation of thanks, if
it would intervene with the Allied Powers to the end that further
transport of German troops or civilians from Turkey or Georgia
should not
[Page 56]
be sent by way of
the Ukraine but through the Mediterranean and that the transports
already under way to the Ukraine ports should be returned to
Constantinople insofar as is possible.
Berne, December 28,
1918.
